Siheyuan: Security Office of Wude

"Uncle, if you have the guts, say this in front of Auntie."

Bai Wanli complained in his heart, but nodded twice for the sake of face. He still had some emotional intelligence, so he just had to agree at this time. They were a couple and they were elders, so no matter how much trouble they made, it was not the turn of Bai Wanli, a junior, to take the initiative to express his opinion.

Bai Sihai didn't keep talking about his wife, probably because he was afraid that Yao Ling would suddenly come back and hear about it, so he turned to ask about how Bai Wanli was doing in the Security Department.

In front of his uncle, Bai Wanli also directly talked about some disciplinary issues left by the previous director in order to ensure his retirement, but under his rectification, the situation has improved significantly.

“Although the workers have some complaints, they haven’t caused any major trouble. The overall discipline in the factory has improved.”

"You did the right thing. The Security Department holds the power of law enforcement, and it is a position that is easy to offend people. To manage the Security Department well, the first thing is not to be afraid of offending people. You can't become timid because of the complaints of a few people. If someone really wants to make trouble, let them make trouble. Even if they go to the sea, uncle will support you!"

"The Security Department is doing things legally and in compliance with regulations. I'm certainly not worried about a few people causing trouble. However, the Security Department recently caught a cook who stole things, which implicated many problems of the leadership of the steel mill."

Bai Wanli talked about Sha Zhu's story. Of course, Sha Zhu was just a small cook. In Bai Wanli's eyes, he was just like someone who could be easily trampled to death. There was no need to explain his story in detail in front of the minister Bai Sihai. The key point was to explain a series of problems existing in the leadership of the steel mill represented by the factory director Yang Guoming.

Bai Sihai narrowed his eyes after hearing this, and the lid of the teapot rubbed against each other, making a clicking sound.

"Some people, after serving as cadres for only a few years, don't even know their last names. They make workers angry just to cover up a cook's crime. They are such brainless people!"

"Wanli, I haven't heard that any factory director has been punished recently. Did you not make a big deal about this?"

"No, I know that Yang Guoming's problems are definitely more than just covering up the truth. There's nothing wrong with keeping him around. After all, I've only been in office for a short time. If I remove Yang Guoming and replace him with someone who's capable and can hold me back, the work of the Security Department won't be easy to carry out. So I let Yang Guoming pay a huge sum of money to the Security Department to cover up this matter."

"I asked my men to secretly collect other evidence of the steel mill leaders' crimes. As long as I can get hold of these evidences, I can deal with them at any time. Maybe I can wait for the right time to strike back with a big wave."

Don’t deal with a problem immediately after you discover it. Wait until the small problem becomes a big problem before dealing with it. This way, you can get more credit. Or, wait until problems occur elsewhere, and then take a two-pronged approach to turn two small credits into one big credit. This is a common practice.

Bai Sihai looked at Bai Wanli with some amusement and said:

"You little brat, you haven't even grown all your hair yet, but you have so many little thoughts."

"Uncle, I'm already twenty-four."

"What's wrong with being twenty-four?! As long as you're not married and don't have kids, you're just a brat!"

Well, what else can I say to such an elder who was born in the old times and is already over 50 years old? If I explain it again at this time, it will be considered as talking back, and I will be scolded for at least an hour.

Just bear with it... at worst I can go back and complain to my aunt.

------

Bai Wanli took advantage of his day off to have dinner at his uncle's house. On the other hand, Yang Guoming also took advantage of his day off to find his old boss, who was Sha Zhu's benefactor in the TV series, the boss who loved to eat.

The big boss' full name is Xu Jiang. He is currently the vice minister of the Ministry of Metallurgy. He was and is Yang Guoming's direct supervisor.

Deputy Minister Xu's biggest hobby is eating delicious food, and the TV series Sha Zhu is the one who got in touch with the TV series because of this.

But it's strange to think about it. A leader who loves eating so much should go to various well-known restaurants to taste the food, and his subordinates should also collect all kinds of famous chefs' famous dishes to please him. Logically, he should be a person who has eaten all kinds of delicacies from mountains and seas. Why would he be so amazed by Sha Zhu's cooking skills?

Although Sha Zhu often brags about how great his Tan family dishes are, he is only an eighth-level chef. The levels of chefs are opposite to those of workers, with the first level being the highest and the eighth level being the lowest. An eighth-level chef is not even qualified to cut the meat at a state banquet.

If Sha Zhu really has that ability, and the dishes he makes are better than those of all the state-owned chefs that Deputy Minister Xu has eaten before, and if Deputy Minister Xu likes them so much, then he is really wasting his talent at the steel mill.

Because the level of chefs in factories is regulated, and the maximum level is six. After all, factories are places for labor production, not places for you to enjoy delicious food.

If Sha Zhu really had that ability, why would he still stay in the steel mill and cook big pots? It would be better for him to go to those famous state-owned restaurants to be the chef. He could also meet many dignitaries. Isn't this more promising than cooking big pots?

In order to promote the protagonist Shazhu, the TV series really made people praise him without thinking, and praised a cook as an outstanding talent unparalleled in the country.

In this era when most people are still struggling to make ends meet, what they pursue is to have enough to eat. As for eating well, that is too luxurious. Only officials can afford it.

Chapter 37 Bai Wanli, the Favorite of the Bai Family

"Xiao Yang, why don't you stay at home and rest today? Why do you still remember to come and see an old man like me?"

"Old leader, seeing what you said, I will never forget your kindness in helping me. I am here to report my work to you. I have encountered some minor troubles recently and need your help."

Xu Jiang raised his eyebrows. This means he came to him for help when he encountered a problem.

He was not surprised. It was not without reason that subordinates gave him "filial piety". They just wanted a better future and a backer.

He would usually solve any minor problems his subordinates encountered. After all, if all his subordinates felt that he was unreliable and useless at critical moments, and they all turned away from him, he would be left alone.

"Go ahead, Xiao Yang."

Yang Guoming quickly reported some recent events at the steel mill to Xu Jiang. He was still an official, always talking about the good things and not the bad, and reporting the good news and not the bad news. He first boasted about the good things he had done recently.

When there was nothing left to brag about, I started talking about the Security Department.

Yang Guoming did not dare to say the dirty things he had done, he just said that the security department had recently cracked down on it, which made the workers complain, and he was difficult to manage.

Although Yang Guoming did not lie, the workers did have complaints about the security department's strict inspections, but he did not tell the whole truth.

Xu Jiang was able to become the deputy minister, so he was not a fool. He could tell at a glance that Yang Guoming was hiding something from him.

"Xiao Yang, the Security Department is not a small organization. If you don't tell me the truth, I won't be able to handle some of the problems. Why don't you just go back?"

Xu Jiang knew Bai Wanli's background. Even if Yang Guoming was his subordinate, Xu Jiang would not easily start a war with Bai Wanli.

Yang Guoming was embarrassed. After being pointed out by Xu Jiang, he dared not hide it anymore. He told the police that he had covered up the secret and paid a large sum of money to the Security Department.

After hearing this, Xu Jiang's face did not look very good either. He said:

"Xiao Yang, you are not in the right in this matter. You also know Bai Wanli's identity. His parents, Bai Siyong and Hu Xiaoting, sacrificed their lives for the country on the battlefield. They were praised by the head shopkeeper himself as a family of loyal martyrs."

"Bai Wanli himself has made many contributions. If he wasn't worried that he would die on the battlefield at a young age, leaving no heroes left, he would probably have made even more contributions on the battlefield."

"With this status, as long as he doesn't make any major mistakes of principle, even if he makes some minor mistakes, no one can punish him at all."

"Old leader, I also know that Bai Wanli's status is not ordinary, but he and I are not the same kind of people. With him in the steel mill, I am really constrained everywhere. Can you think of a way to transfer him to another unit?"

"That's impossible. It's not easy to transfer a department-level cadre across departments for no reason."

"And Bai Wanli's position was decided by his uncle Bai Sihai himself. I know Bai Sihai's temper very well. The brothers have a very good relationship. Ever since Bai Siyong died and left only one son, Bai Sihai has taken good care of Bai Wanli because he is worried that his brothers will not have descendants."

"If I really open my mouth and want to replace Bai Wanli, Bai Sihai will come to my door within a day, point a gun at my head and give me a 'hard talk'. How do you want me to answer him?"

“This thing is not going to happen”

Xu Jiang's refusal was straightforward. He knew it was impossible.

Bai Wanli's backer is the head of the Armed Forces Department, and his status is higher than his, the second in command of the Metallurgical Ministry.

Bai Wanli himself has many merits and has been praised by the chief shopkeeper. He has no weaknesses that can be attacked.

At the same time, if he wants to move Bai Wanli's position, the cost of inter-departmental action is also very heavy, because it will give people a very bad impression.

You, Xu Jiang, dare to target people from the Armed Forces Department across departments today. Who will you target tomorrow?

The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health... no department would trust Xu Jiang anymore. They would all be worried that Xu Jiang would reach into their departments and seize their power.

The consequences were very serious. Even a deputy ministerial-level official like him would not dare to bear it.

Besides, although Yang Guoming was his subordinate, he was a leader before, and his subordinates were not just Yang Guoming, he also had his own son, and it was even more impossible for him to put all his resources on Yang Guoming alone (if he really wanted to take him seriously, he would not have fled to the south for refuge after the storm started, leaving Old Yang to sweep the floor in the north, publicly humiliating him)

Yang Guoming was somewhat disappointed to hear his old leader reject him so bluntly.

Xu Jiang has not given up on this old subordinate yet, and advised: "It is not feasible to use those crooked ways to deal with Bai Wanli, but since he is willing to accept your things and suppress the matter, he is not the kind of person who is really ruthless and impartial. You should find a way to establish a good relationship with him and the Security Department."

"Even if you can't get the Security Department to support you, you must never let them stand on Li Huaide's side. If that happens, it will be a real disaster for you. Remember this, Guo Ming."

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Bai Sihai's Home

Bai Sihai talked with Bai Wanli about many things, some of which were the tips and experiences he had accumulated over the years as an official. He also mentioned some names of his old comrades-in-arms. If he encountered any problems in the future, he could ask these people for help.

Bai Wanli knew that these things could never be exchanged even if he spent a lot of money, so he wrote them down carefully.

"That's all I have to say. Please write it all down. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it. When you handle more cases and deal with more people in the future, you will naturally understand it. I went through this too."

"I understand. I will remember it carefully. Thank you, uncle."

"What else can we thank each other for? By the way, there are some things prepared in the storeroom next to the kitchen. You can take them back after dinner."

"what is this?"

"Your uncles and I prepared these for your wedding. Three wheels and one ring. Now you have a motorcycle, so we didn't buy you a bicycle. Those are for my niece-in-law. There is also a radio, a sewing machine, and two watches."

"You can't be without what others have"

"Who else has all these? There aren't many families in the city that can afford all three of these."

Bai Wanli was somewhat amused by his uncle's enthusiasm, but he also knew in his heart that his father, Bai Siyong, was the only one of the Bai brothers who died young, so his uncles were very concerned about him, the only child in the family, fearing that Bai Wanli would be wronged because there were no elders in the family. If that happened, they would not be able to face Bai Siyong even after a hundred years.

So even if they were to educate their own children strictly, they would only pamper their nephew Bai Wanli.

Although Bai Wanli didn't lack these things, he was still somewhat touched by the concern of his uncles and aunts. Just as he was about to thank them again, Bai Sihai saw through him and interrupted him.

"Don't say thank you or not, it sounds corny. Save your energy and eat more food later."

"...Okay, uncle."

Chapter 38 Yan Laokou doubted his life

Yao Ling prepared a table of lunch, a total of four dishes, braised pork, cabbage and tofu soup, tomato and egg, steamed fish, and plenty of big steamed buns.

Yao Ling is not a cook, and her cooking skills are not as good as Sha Zhu's, but she can still make a few home-cooked dishes (home-cooked dishes in the 21st century, the New Year's Eve dinner these days) without making a mistake.

Bai Wanli was not a picky person, and he ate a few dishes until his mouth was full of oil.

Yao Ling was very happy to see Bai Wanli eating so happily.

"By the way, Wanli, I've already found a girl for your blind date. She's from a good family. Take a look at this photo and see if you like her."

Yao Ling said as she took out a treasured photo and handed it to Bai Wanli.

Bai Wanli took the photo and looked at it, his eyes widened

Wow, doesn’t this look exactly like the Fairy Sister when she was young?

Round face, plump little mouth, with a hint of charming eyes

There is no messy plastic surgery and photo editing technology in this era. The so-called makeup is just a little bit of vanishing cream for most girls.

Except for the special case where the photographer's skills are terrible, basically the real person looks exactly as shown in the photo, and there will be no photo fraud.

Yao Ling knew Bai Wanli had taken a fancy to this girl when she saw his appearance. It was worth it that she spent a lot of time and effort to read the information of almost all the female medical workers in the city before she chose such a beautiful girl whose family background was worthy of Bai Wanli.

"This girl's surname is Zhu, her name is Zhu Qing'an, she is 22 years old this year, she used to be a military doctor and served in the battlefield with the troops, and she was awarded the third-class merit. Because of the war, she delayed her own work, but she is a good girl, and now she works as a factory doctor in the Second Machinery Factory. Both the comrades in the factory and the army praise her for being beautiful, kind, and having good character."